Air valve



ay 23, 944. 1 T RlDDELL 2,349,463

AIR VALVE Filed May 16, 1942 -Patented May 23, -1944 urmrxaf-nl STATES vPMENT OFFICE Am VALVE John T. Riddell, Chicago: Ill. Application May 1o, 1942, serial No. 443,239 2 claims. (ci. 21a-65) This invention relates to air valves, and particularly to air valves for .inflated articles wherein from time to time the internal air pressure must be renewed.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved air valve wherein the valving element may be readily renewed; to provide an improved air valv having a renewable valving element which may be removed and replaced by the user and without the need ,of special tools; to provide an improved air valve having a selfclosing valving element which may be adjusted to regulate the closing pressure; and to provide an improved air valve for inflated articles, which valve is of simplified construction and low manufacturing cost. l

A specific embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of an iniatetl ball casing showing the improved air valve construction and arrangement. v I

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the improved air valve and its carrier as viewed from its bottom or inner side.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the improved air valve in disassembled position with the valving member and the adjusting member removed from the valve body.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the valve member as shown in Figure 1 and illustrating the manner in which an inating needle is passed through the valving element.

Fig. 5 is an inner side plan view of the improved air valve as arranged in a modified form of mounting means, and l Fig. 6 is a sectional view 4of the air valve as taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

In the form shown inthe drawing, the improved air valve comprises a tubular body I having a plurality of radially extending tongues or fingers 2, which body is mounted in a patch or carrier member 3 and secured by means of tongues or fingers 2 which are embedded within the mass of the patch or carrier 3.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the patch or carrier 3 is of suitable flexible or molded material, such as rubber and the valve body I is molded into the mass of the patch or carrier 3, an opening 4 ybeing provided on one side of the patch 3 and the tubular portion of the body I projecting outwardly from the opposite side of thel patch 3. r

As shown in Figures 5 and 6 the valve body l is mounted in a patch or carrier made of fabric material and comprising a top member 5 and a concentric bottom member 6 between which the tongues or lingers 2 of the body I are retained. The inner and outer fabric members are secured together by any suitable means, such as stitch- Iii y opening ing v'I and the fabric is sealed againstrair leakage by means of a coating of latex or any other suitable sealing material, indicated by the numeral 6 in Figure 6. i

As shown in Fig. 6, the outer fabric member 5 is provided with a center opening 9 leading to the interior of the tubular body I and the tubular portion of the body I passes through an opening axially split as at I2 and is provided with a centrai axially extending passage I3 leading from the end opposite the tapered portion to the split portion of the plug or valving member II. This construction is illustrated in detail in Figure l of the drawing.

Also as shown the outer end of the body I, which carries the ngers or tongues 2, is internally threaded to receive a pressure cap I4 iny threaded relation and the threads of the body I extend inwardly a suilicient distance to p rmit the pressure cap I4 to be screwed down into tight engagement with the outer end of the plug or valving member II.

The pressure cap I4 is provided with a center I5 therethrough and is also slotted across its outer end as at I6 to receive the end of a screw driver.

From the foregoing description and from the drawing, it will be apparent that the body I may have any desired external shape and that if`the body I is made'of metal the tongues or fingers 2 may, if desired, be formed by splitting the, end of the body axially, opposite the tapered internal portion, for a portion of its length, so that the tongues or ngers 2 may be provided by bending the split portions outwardly.

It will 4also be apparent that if desired the body portion I may be molded of a suitable plastic or other molding material and that the pressure cap Il may also be a molded article.

It will now appear that the improved valve, together with its carrier member, comprisesfour elements or parts, namely, the carrier` member,

or patch, by means of which the valve is secured to the body of the inflated article on which it is to be used; the valve body; the plug or valving member, which is a corefor the valve body and the pressure cap(A by means of which the closing tension of the valving member` or plug can be adjusted.

These four elements arey normally of the inated article, either internally or',exter lassembled into a unit which unit isv then applied tothe body nally as may be desired, but preferably on the v inner side. The preferred manner of use is as shown in Figure 1, wherein the improved valve is illustrated in connection with the carcass yor casing of an inated article, such as abasketball, wherein the casing is constructed of stitchedtogether panels il of fabric ionto which panels i8 member E, as illustrated in Figures and 6 of the drawing, is employed, this element may be stitched onto `the fabric casing of the inflated article or the fabric casing il itself of the inated article may constitute the outer portion of the carrier for the valve body i.

In operation air, or other inatinggas, is introduced into an article to which the improved valve is applied by means of a hollow needle 2i which is inserted through the valve by way of the opening H5 of the pressure cap, the passageway is of the plug or valving member and the split tapered end of the valving member, the tapered end of the valving member stretching and spreading, as shown in Figure Il of the drawing to per.-y mit passage of the needle 2l.

After the article has become inflated to the desired pressure, the inatlng needle 2| is withdrawn, whereupon the split tapered end of the valving member closes immediately behind the needle and shuts off communication between the interior of the inated article and the passageway i3 of the valving member which leads to the opening l5 of the pressure cap; thus sealing the inflated article against leakage of the internal pressure.

The elastic nature of the material of which the valving member or plug il is made permits stretching to pass the needle and provides for immediate constricting and closure as the needle is withdrawn. The elastic tension, however, which causes tight closure of the split portion of the valving member or plug Il, may be adjusted by means of the pressure cap Il which, upon being screwed downwardly into the valve body l, causes an increase of the compression on the tapered portion of the plug or valving member, resulting from the wedging action'of the tapered inner wall of the body I. Thus as the plug or valving member loses its elasticity, due to age or other deteriorating inuences; its usefulness can be prolonged by merely increasing the pressure on the tapered plug through the medium of the pressure cap I4.

When the plug or valving member Il becomes deteriorated or damaged to such an extent that its valving eiilclency is lost, that element may be renewed or replaced by a new plug or 4vvalving element merely by unscrewlng the pressure cap so as to remove it from the valve body, and by lifting out the plug or valving element, the new plug or valving element being then inserted into the body i and secured in place by replacing the ple corel or plug element and that operation can ybe readily accomplished by the coach or user of the inflated article or by any one of ordinary skill.

The'main advantages of the hereindescribed improved valve reside primarily in the easy renewability of the valving element and in the arrangement whereby the compressing pressure, causing air-tight closure of the split portions of the valving element, can be readily adjusted merely by means of 'a screwdriver.

ther advantages of the improved valve reside in the simplicity of its construction and the simplicity and low manufacturing cost of the plug or valving element which is the heart of this or any ,other air Valve construction.

= Still other advantages reside in the fact that with'the improved valve it becomes no longer necessary to return the inated article to its manufacturer for renewal or replacement of the air valve, thus increasing the usefulness of the inflated article and obviating the wasteful expense, loss of time and labor which would otherwise be Athe burden of a manufacturer of the inflated article.

Although but one speciiic embodiment of this 1. An air' valve comprising a rigid body having a passage therethrough and a. portion of said passage being inwardly tapered to form a valve seat, a valving member of elastic material disposed within said body and having its inner end tapered for conforming engagement with said valve seat, said valving member having its tapered end axially splitfor a substantial distance within said seat and having a passage in its opposite end leading to the split portion, and a pressure member mounted in said body and axially adjustable therein, said pressure member bearing upon said valving member to force the same along said seat to closngly compress the split portion thereof, and said bearing member having an opening aligned with the passage therein.

2. An air valve comprising a rigid body having a passage therethrough, a portion of said passage being tapered to form a conical valve seat, a valve plug of elastic material disposed Within said body and having its inner end conically tapered for conforming engagement with said valve seat, said plug having its tapered end split axially for a substantial distance within said seat and having a central opening in its opposite end leading to the split portion, and a pressure cap ldisposed within said body and engaging the said opposite end of said plug to force same along said seat to closingly compress the split portion of said plug, said pressure cap having threaded engagement with the wall of said body passage and having a central opening in alignment with the opening in said plug.

JonN'r. RmDELL. 

